Disposable absorbent articles are widely used by children and incontinent individuals. For children who are able to walk and who may be engaged in toilet training, a disposable absorbent article that has become popular is the pull-on diaper. Pull-on diapers typically include side panels which attach a front waist region to a back waist region thereby forming a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. The side panels can attach the front waist region and the back waist region via a refastenable fastening system.
One type of refastenable fastening system, which can be utilized in pull-on diapers, is a tab and slot fastening system. In general, in order to fasten the tab in the slot, a tab element is passed through the slot and is subsequently pivoted such that a portion of the tab element engages an edge of the slot to prevent the tab element from passing back through the slot. However, if the tab element does not pivot properly or is not pivoted by the caregiver or the wearer such that the portion of the tab element engages the edge of the slot, the tab element can unintentionally pass back through the slot. Generally, when a caregiver or a wearer fastens the tab and slot fastening system of a pull-on diaper, the fastening system is typically under tension. This can increase the likelihood of the tab element unintentionally passing back through the slot.
In some cases, the caregiver or wearer may not pivot the tab element to an extent necessary to prevent the tab element from passing back through the slot. For example, the caregiver or the wearer may pivot the tab element such that a portion of the tab element partially engages an edge of the slot. The partial engagement of the portion of the tab element with the edge of the slot can provide the caregiver or the wearer with a false impression that the tab and slot fastening system is fastened correctly. However, because the portion of the tab element only partially engages the edge of the slot, the tab element can still unintentionally pass back through the slot, thereby unintentionally unfastening the tab and slot fastening system. Such unintentional unfastening of the tab and slot fastening system can cause the disposable absorbent article to fall off or leak which may lead to embarrassment for the caregiver, the wearer, or both.
Consequently, there is a need for a tab and slot fastening system which reduces the likelihood of a tab element unintentionally passing back through the slot. There is also a need for a fastening system that reduces the likelihood that the tab element will pass back through the slot even without a caregiver or a wearer having to pivot the tab element after it has passed through the slot.